Mother Runner | Life Balancer | Side of Chocolate

So I went for a bike ride!

I recently got a new-to-me bike! Technically, it was a hand me down from my sister – Thank you Laura! I got it about a month ago and thought it would be good cross training for my half marathons this fall. I just haven’t had the time to get out on it until yesterday! {Speaking of new, I bought a new Asics tank and cycling shorts while on vacation last week – good timing I’d say!}.

Monday was supposed to be a rest day but it was my last vacation day and the girls were in day care. A mama’s gotta take advantage of her spare time and get as much done as she can. So, I figured a ride would be nice in between doing laundry, cleaning the house and running errands.

It was a cooler day but the sun was still shining as I left our house around noon. I’m not confident on my bike so I avoid cycling on the main roads. All I could think about when I took off was “Ride on the right, run against traffic”.

I rode down to the “rails to trails” {old rail road tracks turned into multi-use trail systems}, this is where I run sometimes. I decided to ride towards the next town over and return; it was 9k in one direction. I wanted to do a longer {for me} ride so I was planning on 20 km. I enjoyed parts of the trail I have never been on, converse with others who were walking or cycling in the opposite direction and I even ran into a 4-wheeler – not literally.

I’m not much of a cyclist but more your recreational biker. I kept my pace around 15km/hour and messed up my Garmin when I stopped for a little break. I managed just over 20km in around an hour and a half of riding. I also impressed myself with riding up all the hills when I thought I might have to get off and walk.

Afterwards my body felt great! I felt light and just really good! It wasn’t until later in the evening did my leg muscles feel the ride. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone on a long ride, probably when I was a teenager! I’m hoping to do this at least once a week but the mileage will depend on when I can ride and when I can get my runs in.

I’d love to bike but I’m way too much of a chicken. I bought a bike a few years back so I could commute with it, but I live in a city that’s not very bike-friendly and never once rode it to work. And the last time I went for a leisurely bike ride I collided with someone else. So the bike gods do not smile on me 🙂 I do enjoy the exercise bikes at the gym and maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to ride again! Enjoy your bike! 🙂